Uh Oh! It's Magic!!

For some reason that song by who know's who is ricocheting through my head right now.

The recent release of Batman Begins reminds me of the time when I was 4 or 5 and my mother bought me some Underoos. I wanted Underoos like nobody's business and finally she went and got some. She had them behind her back and said "I got you some Underoos" and I jumped up and down with glee but then she showed them to me: they were Batman Underoos. I sighed and otherwise expressed intense disappointment, perhaps stomping my feet or something, because they were not Superman Underoos. So as punishment my mother denied me use of these Underoos for the day, but not before saddling me with a sense of her intense disappointment at my ingratitude. I think later that night she relented and I paraded around the house in Batman's underwear with a blue towel pinned around my neck, striking poses on Ottomans and whatnot to the delight of my fawning relatives (I was the first grandchild).

In any case, I think it interesting that even at age 4 that I was convinced that Superman was so much better than Batman. I imagine that my only point of comparison besides cartoons was whatever my friend(s) had at the time. I think they, or he, I don't know, how many friends are you supposed to have at age 4 or 5? had Superman Underoos.

Obviously Superman could take Batman with his superhuman, otherworldly strength and X-ray vision, but today it seems Batman has triumphed in the public eye--are there any further Superman sequels in the mix?? I wonder if today's 4 year olds are cognizant of the cultural zeitgeist and prefer Batman over Superman because of his inner anguish and tortured humanity.